Redemption
by purple-sorceress
Summary: One year after the victory. I need help with formatting this story.
1. Default Chapter

Ughh.What can I do to actually space this out? The first time I uploaded this, everything was just crunched together, and no paragraphs showed. I hope this is better. A/N~I've had this for some time, and finally decided to upload it. Don't expect another part up in at least two weeks, though, since my school homework, plus all these college apps I gotta do, are so difficult-they just seem to suck up time, especially apps.  
  
"SEIFER." The tall, handsome figure turns around, smiling at his posse. Fuujin salutes, and Raijin gives a respectful nod. "What is it?" he asks them.  
  
"MATRON. EDEA."  
  
"She came by while we were fishin' an' said that she wanted to see you, ya know? Said it was important business."  
  
Seifer frowns, not knowing how to face up to someone he had betrayed. Sure, he had been the Sorceress' Knight, fighting alongside her, but he had served Ultimecia, not Matron. He had betrayed Matron's intentions by serving that witch. Ultimecia even went as far as brainwashing him after the first encounter at the Timber TV Station. Seifer's actions during that time had been like a nightmare, recurring again and again in his dreams even now. He was at that time infused with intense loyalty to Ultimecia, a loyalty that strangely disappeared when she died during that fight in the Time Compression. But in other aspects he was, and still is, the same old Seifer. Only Fuujin and Raijin had understood, so Seifer was spared at least from having to explain to them his infamous past which, even now he himself could neither describe nor defend. But now, all of a sudden, here comes Matron, walking towards him from 20 meters away, smiling, and he is still at a loss of words to even try to plead for forgiveness. Words aren't enough to compensate for his actions, he realizes. Shame and disappointment suddenly overwhelm him, reminding him that the only way to be sincere now is to drop his attitude. Drop that façade behind which he hid his pain, and hope that Matron will understand, as well. But how dare he hope for understanding when he himself could not even put into words what had happened? Still, all that happened seems so unreal to him. He could only faintly recall those taunts to Squall, and the corridors of Lunatic Pandora.  
  
He turns his back to Edea and looks out over the horizon into the ocean, searching the blue color, the depths, as if expecting to find an answer, some way to reply Edea, at least. He hears her voice: "How have you been, Seifer?" No response. She is beside him now, gazing into the pellucid blue waters, and though she makes no sound as she paces leisurely on the seashore, in her elegant way, Seifer could tell she is close. He dare not look at her; it would be too painful. She speaks again, but more quietly now. "My, my, the Balamb seashore is practically breathtakingly beautiful. No wonder you chose to return here." Silence. "We miss you, you know."  
  
Edea observes the strained look on his face, an expression Seifer rarely showed. Kindly, Edea reaches out to take his hand, and guides the unwilling figure down along the beach to some sand dunes. She attempts a smile, then notices pervading sadness on Seifer's face.  
  
"You know, Matron," he grins wryly, "I don't know what to say. I want to express my regret, yet cannot find words strong enough to convey them. The only thing I could tell you right now is that I'm not worth your concern, or your attention, for that matter. Not you, not anyone from Garden or the orphanage. I thank you, though; deeply thank you."  
  
Edea sighs, shakes her head, and laughs a little, very softly. "Well, I see that you need quite a bit of persuasion. Seifer, look at these dunes. All the time, wind and water, tides, creatures, and even we humans, threaten to level the dunes. Wind tries to disperse the sand, and water attempts to drown and wash down the buildup, but the dunes have resisted effectively against the very elements that have shaped their existence. Why? Hardship builds character and spirit, and the more weathering, the stronger you become. The sand piles do not give up their struggle to anything that tries to wear it down. Instead, they rise ever higher. So why should you surrender, capitulate, give in to the forces that want to wear you down, and prove yourself to be unworthy even to tread the sands on this beach? Your enemies only laugh when they see you despair, see your resolve vanished and your dreams forgotten. That is exactly what they would like to see. That you are nothing but a wretched, DEFEATED r a t!."  
  
By this time Seifer's hands have clenched into fists, and he punches the sand pile directly in front of him. Edea stops talking. After a long while, when the air clears of the hazy clouds of fine sand, he finally speaks once again. "Matron. You of all people should know what I have been through. I'm not like what people believe me to be; you know that. I'm not a monster."  
  
"Yes, Seifer, perhaps. But why can't you prove your worth to us? Otherwise, how can I be sure that you have not forgotten your dreams, your pride?"  
  
"How?.Then HOW could I, SHOULD I, prove myself to the world?"  
  
Edea gracefully turns, and points. "See that coming in from the sea? You should come home, back to Garden. Become a SeeD. The Headmaster and I cordially invite you back, Seifer."  
  
Seifer, who had been heretofore crouched amongst the sand dunes, now looks with Edea over the horizon. He smiles, a genuine smile, and stands up, facing the rippling currents that bring forth his salvation. "And what about Fuujin and Raijin, Matron? May they come as well?" 


	2. Chapter 2

Sapphire eyes search the azure skies over the Alcauld Plains until the undulating cries of sea gulls fade away into the vast expanse that is called the western horizon.  Squall sighs and inhales deeply the balmy and briny scent of the air.  Balamb's sunset is truly lovely, even though he prefers sunrise more.

                His peace is interrupted by the sound of a swinging door, beneath him, in Headmaster Cid's office, followed by the drone of the lift to the pilot's deck.  He turns around to find Selphie and Rinoa, who both smile at first but then look serious.  Selphie looks to Rinoa with an inquisitive look, and Rinoa states, "Business first."  Selphie seems to consider this a while, before finally exclaiming, not without a little leap, "Matron succeeded!  Seifer came back!"

                Squall nods slightly in approval, then frowns at remembering something and adds, "Have you kept the event a secret?"  Selphie yawns and stretches her arms before she plops down on the seat placed in the room.  "But of course.  If Seifer knew, then he probably wouldn't come. Besides, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun."  Rinoa also heads for the chairs recently installed on the deck.  Closing the distance with long, quick strides and both her hands clasped behind her back, she stops in front of Squall and grins: "Won't Seifer be surprised."

                Circling around Squall, inspecting him briefly, she adds, in mock admonishment, "Speaking of which, _you_ should be dressed in a suit right now, not that leather jacket."  Squall looks down, and realizes that he does need to change.  In a trademark gesture he puts his hand to his forehead before uttering something remotely like an apology and going downstairs to change for the night.

                Quistis finishes wrapping the long tresses of her hair up into three mounds of honey-gold.  She slides jeweled hair pins to hold her hair in place, then scrutinizes her own appearance in the mirror.  Satisfied with the way she looked in her gown of silver satin, she puts on a pair of matching gloves and finally twirls her taffeta wrap around her arms.  She is determined to look good tonight, determined to prove the rumours wrong.  If she had loved Squall, then it was an admiring sort of love, certainly not the ridiculous unrequited love as some people had fancied her to have.  Although, she admits to herself, she _does_ _need_ someone who can love her.

                Yet finding true love is so hard.  Like finding that one last jigsaw piece that fits into the puzzle of your soul, out of many _millions_.

                Squall, dressed in an elegant black suit, examines the gold band for the last time before he opens the door to step out of his dorm room.  The ring is embedded with many small white diamonds arranged in a pattern to look like wings.  Pocketing the trinket and turning a corner in the long hallway, the first pair of eyes that he meets is Rinoa's.  She wears a gown the color of periwinkle, simple yet enchanting.    The words "You look lovely, my angel" first form in his head, but instead he says: "Let's go."

                Seifer is indeed surprised to see the entire third floor of Garden now decorated with thick, artificial vines wrapping around the walls and hanging from above, weaving a ceiling of green.  Here and there flowers accentuate the room, with a vase present on every elegant table.  Soft music drifts through the air like a dreamy wanderer, altering its pace every now and then to savor the delicious line of melody played.  Edea, by his side, hums to herself.  "The Raindrops Prelude," she comments.  Cid, accompanying Seifer on the other side, pats Seifer's back, his hand remaining there in a paternal gesture that, at the same time, seems like to Seifer a measure to prevent his escape, somehow restraining as well as comforting.  Seifer, however, makes no effort to escape, though he cannot help but wonder at the fact that he had not encountered many hateful stares, at least not in the first two hours that he returned to Garden.

                The most unexpected moment comes when the doors of the office open to reveal Squall and Rinoa.  Seifer can only stare as the pair moves straight towards him, sincere smiles on their faces, as Seifer's mouth drops open when Squall offers his hand in a token of friendship.  For a moment, all is silent, before Squall grins and Rinoa begins to giggle softly.  Seeing that Seifer is only more confused, Squall explains.  "I wish that I had a camera on hand.  God, that was classic.  With that pathetic expression on your face—why, you looked fairly like a _puberty boy_."

                Squall extends his hand again, and this time Seifer shakes hands.

                The elevator rings again, signifying the approach of more SeeDs to join in the celebration.  Seifer does not look back.  "What's the occasion here?"  he asks Cid.

                Cid smiles but says nothing, as Selphie betrays her presence with the bright peal of her voice—"The maid of honor arrives!"

                "Your wedding, Squall?"  Seifer asks incredulously.  

                Before Squall could answer, a light hand taps Seifer's shoulder, and he turns to meet the gaze of Quistis.

A/N: Yes, I know that I'm writing in present tense.  If that's how I started, then I'll keep writing in this tense until I end the story.  It just struck me as a more interesting and more challenging form than the regular past tense.  Many thanks to all of you that finished reading this piece!!  I've dropped out of Final Fantasy 8 for too long.  I'm also working on developing some ideas for my Silmarillion fanfiction; I just love the elves! 


End file.
